7
Once Mar reached the top and saw what it was, he re-holstered his weapon. It was time to let his hands do the talking. Standing before him with both arms crossed was one of the four remaining Chieftains of the Loyalist Armed Forces. He was inside a bubble shield, flanked on both sides by a couple of Brute bodyguards. One was a Major, the other a Minor. Mar calmly walked into the bubble.
"Well, well, well. Look who it is," the Chieftain laughed to his subordinates.
"Socorgius," Mar growled.
"I had heard that a group of Elites and insects helped the Arbiter murder Tartarus. Should have known that the cowardly twins were among them."
He was just taunting, Mar knew. Pushing buttons, trying to goad him into making a mistake. He let Socorgius keep talking, but stood tense, ready.
"Which one are you, the elder? Couldn't protect baby brother from all of us big, scary Brutes?"
Mar ignored him and replied, "Just keep talking, ape."
Amused, Socorgius shook his head and waved one of his goons forward. The Minor snarled and bared its sharp canines as it approached. However, scary appearances didn't win fights. Mar easily countered the Minor's first blow, drew an energy dagger, and plunged it deep into the side of its neck. The Minor appeared to be in shock as it weakly reached a hand up to the small blade, then dropped like a sack of potatoes. Socorgius appeared unfazed.
"I've already sent word ahead," he said. "Cethegus and the others know you're coming. They'll be waiting. You'll all be walking right into a trap."
That's it. I have heard quite enough.
Roaring, Mar dashed to greet Socorgius with a stiff right cross, but the other bodyguard, a Major, stepped in front and blocked him. Socorgius, with both arms still crossed over his chest, laughed heartily as the Major shoved Mar back out of the bubble.